Vacation does NOT = weight loss

Oh I had such great plans for this at-home vacation: plans that did not include a load of chocolate every day.

If I come back to work at the same weight I left at, that'll be good enough for me.

On the bright side, I "exercised" by painting my living/dining room. On the dark side, I've eaten every bad thing one should avoid while trying to lose weight.

I can't wait to get back to work. You must help me get back on track. I am falling falling falling...

Apple Pie chart or Chocalate bar chart?

Now that the challenge has been going on two weeks. I must say that I'm pretty impressed with my competitors. Most are doing this in good, healthful fun and seem to be making strides; however, there are some who have stooped to plain old underhanded tactics in order to reap the $1,000-or-so grand prize. The most egregious being one who uses any ol' birthday, holiday, anniversary day to attempt to fatten her adversaries. It makes me wonder what others are up to.
There seem to be a lot of messages lamenting this long difficult road that we've all started on. I suspect those same people have hired personal trainers and are up to 6 miles a day...so I'm not buying there stories.
As for me. I haven't weighed myself again since the first day. Thanksgiving was very delicious... I mean nice; and I prefer to look at this competition as a way to get to know my colleagues -- with whom I've worked with ten years or so -- better or least get to know their five bucks better.
Unfortunately as it's going now, I may need to start working on being a good sport.

Blame it on my generosity

Or lack of self-control. It's Jim Phillips' birthday. I brought ebony and ivory cake (one of my favorites). I can't help it. I love to celebrate birthdays.
But that hasn't been my only failure. Let's see...
I actually went 6 days without eating dessert! Not quite my record of 10 days (that was 3 years ago), but for someone who eats a donut a day, I thought that was pretty good. (And yes, somehow, it has kept the doctors away.)
But then we went on vacation...I haven't worked out since last Thursday but since then I've managed to eat 3 donuts, two pumpkin pie slices, raspberry chocolate buttercream cake and creme brulee. This does not include any poor eating habits or the mixed drinks I've indulged in.
My only hope is that the cold Christmas in NY will help me burn extra calories.
In the meantime...let us eat cake.

Jack Sprat could eat no fat/ his wife could eat no lean

I just want to put more distance between me and Abe on the scale. I know he's naturally skinny. But good gawd, he's six or seven inches taller than I. We shouldn't be this close in weight.

But the good news I now own a scale. I'm facing my demons every other day or so. And I'm doing better about not devouring everything in front of me. Soon, hopefully, that nursery rhyme won't haunt me.

Acts of contrition

Oh, my body, I am heartily sorry for having offended thee. And I detest of all my sins and overindulgences because of your overdimpledness...

This week, I'm just hoping I held the line.

Last Wednesday morning, the scale said I was down three pounds -- to 165.5 from my original weight. Yay. Yeah. Whatever. I knew the true test would come Thursday and the days that followed when my menu of brown rice and other whole grains, yogurt, fresh fruit and vegetables would be usurped in a coup of mythical proportions. Or rather, mythical portions.

My sister, my cousin and my niece really weren't interested in a dieter's Thanksgiving. The final menu:

Brined oven-roasted turkey and gravy
Ham
Cornbread dressing
Cranberry, pineapple and walnut relish
Blue cheese-and-bacon mashed potatoes
Greens
Homemade white dinner rolls
Pumpkin bread
and
Sweet potato pie
All washed down with beer and a wine.

Sirens. Klaxons. Flashing lights. Diet busted.

I tried to pile my plate so that I could still see plate. I didn't go back for seconds. I treated it like I'd gone out for a holiday dinner at an excruciatingly delicious restaurant and not like there were 30 pounds-worth of leftovers easily accessible in the fridge. I made sure to hit the gym the next day. Will it be enough?

My next scheduled weigh-in is Thursday. We'll see.

Pecan paradise

So I've been making chocolate-covered pecans to sell at the Employee Market.

Not. Smart.

First off, I'm pretty messy, so I end up with my whole body covered in chocolate, which I then have no choice but to lick off. Then I lick the spoons. And the bowls. And the floor. And the dogs. And anything else that might have been slathered in cocoa bean.

But I haven't been eating too much of the final product. Now that's some great dieting!

On the bright side, i haven't gained any weight this week. I'm still 1.5 pounds down from my start weight.

Thanksgiving

Ugh. Damn you Thanksgiving.

DAMN YOU!!!!

OK, I lied

I haven't lost 7 pounds. Who the hell loses 7 pounds in 4 days unless you're Michelle Martinez and eat only straw? Not I, friends.

I have, however, lost 1.5 pounds.

I'm not impressed. I fluctuate between 153.5 and 155 constantly. I've even dipped to 152 and that was a wonderful six hours, I can tell you that.

But when I dip under 150? That will be huge.

When I got married, I was 108 pounds. Oh yes, SSS once had her thin days. Granted, they didn't last long. By the time I moved to Austin in 1999, I was 120 -- a very respectable number indeed!

By 2000, I had gotten up to 138. I remember the moment I stepped on the scale and saw those numbers very very well. Turns out I was pregnant.

Since then... well. You know.

So. I'm on vacation for two weeks. That's what happens when you don't use your vacation days until the end of time. This week, though, I'm focusing on staying under 1500 calories a day.

Watching the Nutty Professor, however, is not helping. Drop the tub of cookie dough, Eddie Murphy! Drop it now!!

It's just a number

I'm blogging before I go to the gym. I'll find any excuse really. That's how much I hate excercise. I hate it so much I can't even spell the word. (Can't find my dictionary at the moment.) But here are all the reasons why I soooo have to get over my aversion:

One hundred sixty eight and a half pounds.

I weighed myself twice, once on Monday and once on Tuesday, when I joined the challenge just to be sure. And I feel disclosure is important since I'm in the pool. Owning up to it in public isn't painful to me. I don't think people will look at me differently because they know the number. And publishing it feels right somehow. Like a declaration of war. I have seen the enemy. And it is me. All 168.5 pounds of me.

My steady, and shockingly huge, weight gain over the past couple years was painful. It's documented in my medical records. You should have seen the look on my gynecologist's face. There was also an awkward moment on the scale when the nurse had to slide the fifty weight over when I was in the middle of this upward slide. I had to climb my household latter with the tool box one day, and realized, for the first time in my life, that I now have to pay attention to the weight limits. I was three pounds shy of weighing more than my dog. (He's a really, really big dog.)

Don't get me wrong. I'm not having a pity party here. Just acknowledging some truths. I've started a food diary to acknowledge some more truths. They aren't pretty. Even trying, I'm eating more fat than I should.

Today though, I've got more motivation than usual to get my butt to the Y: A new number.

One hundred sixty six pounds.

Small steps on the way to a smaller me.

Wow

Guess what guys? I've already lost 7 pounds!

It's frightening how quickly I am becoming fit and fabulous.

You guys should probably give it up now. Maybe head over to the Altar of Fat. Or to Sandy's. Or something...

So you're probably thinking....

What the hell are you doing on here. You don't need to lose weight, you're skinny already! I call Bullshit! Everybody has things about their body they don't like, including me. I just quit smoking this week, and before that even getting comfortable in my current relationship has unfortunately added a few pounds I did not ask for. So my plan is to snack healthy instead of stuff my face when I want a cigarette and to get into a daily workout routine to get rid of some of the aggression. So whoever's walking, eating a healthy lunch/snack, has any advice for the quitting smoking blues, send 'em my way! I want in and I want to be smoke-free skinny!

Stare and resist

It's one thing to get the email about the sugar-loaded whatever on the alter each day. That can be deleted, ignored.

But when the alter is basically an extension of your desk, and everyone comes over to admire and nibble the goodies, it's trouble.

Right now, I can't help but fixate on the coconut-tapioca cake. I could grab it without leaving my seat. The chocolate-covered pretzels (rumor is they're from the Domain), luckily, are just beyond my reach.

If the stacks of stuff on my desk get higher, or I suddenly put up some other form of ridiculous barrier, you'll know why.

39 percent body fat

That's all I have to say people.

No, I'm not here to mock you!

Yes, I've seen your sideways glances and incredulous looks. I've heard your snide remarks. And I'll have you know that petite doesn't always equal healthy. I stand with those of you who shun the metro altar! Who decline Taboada's treats! Who walk past the vending machine and laugh!

Now, who among you will let me run with you (read: walk briskly behind you) on the hike and bike trail? Anyone?

Scales and Potlucks

Mel brought in two pies, some candy and a scale today.
This is gonna get ugly.

Determination

I'm shedding 220 pounds this month and plan to shed an additional 40 real soon.

The first 16 stone came with a wedding ring and left with a sizeable divorce settlement. The last 40 pounds, gained casually over two years, might be even harder to get rid of. I'm determined to try.

So. No more answering altar calls. Cocktail consumption will be markedly curtailed. Desserts are the devils work.

Thanksgiving is going to be hell.

Sizing things up

Problems:

Eat late night suppers. Have second helpings.

Drink too much alcohol during the week.

Don't have a scale.

Go to be too late.

Watch too much TV, which makes it easier to snack mindlessly.

Solutions:

Eat dinner earlier at the table, not in front of the TV.

Drink more water, less wine (unless Jesus comes around and turns my water into wine, in which case I have no choice).

Go to the gym thrice a week minimum.

Go to be at 11 p.m. (which is a big improvement over 1 a.m.)

Buy a scale.

On the first day of kicking your ass...

That's right people. I am going to vanish before your very eyes.

Currently I weigh 155. Height is 5'2". BMI is 28, I think.

Don't be jealous. You too can be short and stout if you ate the junk I do.

Actually, I just eat too much food. But I've lost 16 pounds over the last 2 years (I know, I'm slow), and 8 of those were in the last year or so. I was doing great until I stopped counting calories.

Well, now I'm motivated to win the pot, so watch me skinny up!

Posted by:

Social Services Supermodel

Day 1

So far we have at least seven people in the office who will be part of our challenge. The great thing is, most of us have already weighed in this morning and have started out the day by eating healthy.
The first big challenge will be making it through tomorrow's Thanksgiving potluck...

Welcome

Welcome to the Paper-Weight Challenge!
We're gonna see who can lose the biggest percentage of body weight by Christmas.
The entry fee is $10. The first weigh in is on Nov. 12.